January 2008: I'm four and 'they're all mine!'

That was very funny simpson. I love the four year old's ability to resist adult logic. Sabela, indeed, refuses to be four. She is either three or five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. But not four.

How was the shoe shopping JKS? Loved the picture too.

Filly- only you could describe a weekend in a new house with three children, in-laws over for dinner and friends dropping by as chilled. You're a star.

Same old same old here. Kids lovely. I think I have decided to ring my bereavement counsellor and ask if she'll see me one more time to discuss DH. Most other people have such a preconditioned 'take' on what DH's problem is (yes and they're my female friends) that I don't find it useful. I need an outlet and she knows the situation better than anyone. My payday treat!

Any tips on getting Daniel to stop throwing things? He has an awful temper and as soon as he starts kicking off he just throws whatever is in his hands, usually a small, hard wooden train. This is often triggered by things like another small boy coming up to investigate is small, hard wooden train so you can see why I'm worried. He's not hit anyone yet, but it's a matter of time. He's given me and DD a black eye each this week by launching himself backwards headfirst, which he does both when he's stropping and for fun

M went through a terrible phase of biting and I had to watch her like a hawk if any other child came near her. But after a while the firm "no" and removing her from situation (when she got really bad with poor J, I borrowed a travel cot and had it in the front room for a few weeks and plonked her in there everytime she bit him)

Been to soft play with both boys this afternoon, left M with DH (which may have pushed her a bit long without a feed but she was fine until I walked in!).H was really good there, a solid 2 hours playtime. But..I just baby wiped his shoes and didn't try to take them or his coat off.He was rather warm by the end

But no screaming at all, or sitting next to me scared so the trips are paying off.Really not my fave soft play (is there one?!) but it is close to home.

MM - fingers crossed for the move. Any chance you'll get to take a look inside before you actually move there?

LaT - no advice, but repeat after me "this too shall pass"!

JKS - hurrah for soft play, sounds like H is doing really well (even though I detest all soft plays too!)

Not much to report - I should be working but am clearly not ....looks like my company is about to enter the long dark tunnel of being taken over (sigh....its only 4 years since I last went through this), so it's a bit of a challenging environment at the moment. I'm half-heartedly looking for something else, as I know I will have to go full time if I change, and I really enjoy my Wednesdays at home at the moment....(even if I do end up working quite often, at least its on my own terms, and I can take back the time at other points....like MNing now!)

Had a lovely weekend in the house - slowly starting to get control over it all....we're now down to only having boxes left in the study and garage, although having builders in our bedroom every day means that its pretty dusty in there. Oh, and there's one box of random kitchen stuff I haven't had the patience to deal with of course!

DH just found the camera lead, so pics of T's birthday cake will be up on my profile shortly....on a month late

I had a bit of a shock when I went to pick up S today. A letter from her school was waiting for me clearly expecting her to be starting school full time after Easter. We had been told September but it seems someone has dropped out and S moved into her place but the school didn't tell us.

I'm a bit about it as her two best friends from playgroup are going in in the September intake and two people she really finds difficult. The teacher will let me do whatever I want but thinks starting in September does leave her at a disadvantage in that she won't have much settling in time before school proper starts.

I'm thinking of having her go two full days and stay three mornings at pre school. She is quite keen on this plan. What do you think?

Um, if it helps (which it probably doesn't ) Tamara does 4 days full-time and 1 day mornings at the moment....but she was doing 2-3 full days last academic year already so is fairly used to it.

If I was at home I would probably have her going for 3 full days a week, as she really enjoys the afternoon sessions (and they do different stuff to the mornings) but I would definitely have her home 2 days a week, just to chill out and also to allow some time for post-nursery activities.

At the moment, she's having swimming lessons at 4pm on Wednesdays, after 9-3.30 nursery, and its really a bit too much for her - she's so tired on Weds evenings she can barely eat her dinner....on the other hand, she's not scared of the swimming pool any more, so overall I think we're winning

Is she starting full time school in April or been offered f/t in nursery until she moves to school???

All good here. I have braved it (on the advice of others) and made an appt to see the Head teacher tomorrow morning to make sure that ExH cannot pick kids up from school without my permission. It is unlikely to happen as (a) he is in ireland (b) he does not have the £££ for a flight over and (c) he would not have the brain power to think of doing it.

But tbh it will help me sleep better if I know the school are on the ball iyswim.

I have told both kids that they will not be seeing daddy for the foreseeable future as he is not very well etc (and have blamed ExH for this by saying he does not take his medicine properly - as M said "well he can just go to the doctor to get better" (lol at logic of a 4yr old)).

Do you guys think it is worth asking for councilling for J to make sure he is coping properly??

Simps - my disappeared post said similar to LaT I am confused too Well done re telling school should help your peace of mind. I would say yes def see what help J could have he seems to be fine for ages then have a funny few days, from what you've said, and it won't do any harm for him to have an outside safe person to talk to.M reminds me of my T, a logical answer to everything, can talk themselves out of any argument

H is in danger of being rehomed...4.20 this morning why the eff does he wake then??? He's sat next to me clutching aeroplanes and chatting

If its a reception class then she would start with some children, get to know them and then have to get to know a whole load of new kids in september (which seems a bit pointless really).

Just had a chat with the HT and she has basically said that if ExH turned up to pick the kids the school would not let them go with him anyway even though he has got PR because he has never picked them up and the teachers won't recognise him if that makes sense. They would make him sit in the school office (kids would be got but would sit in a different part of the office) and then they would call me to check.

It was mainly in the context of if he turns up early ie 2pm and says he is taking J to dentist or something. Then obviously the office staff will not know him and J won't know he is coming either if that makes sense.

There are three intakes a year at her school so the first class is always a bit of a mix. There's no preschool year at her school. We're quite relaxed here in Wales compared to England which might be where the confusion lies.